Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported Deaths

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.

The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.

How to interpret what you read

A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:

One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.

If you've experienced a defect

File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.

Read more from our blog

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 117,788 complaints - component: STEERING

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

On March 20, 2026, while my 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron (VIN: [XXX] ) was parked in my private garage at approximately 98% battery charge, I attempted to start the vehicle and experienced a complete electrical system failure. All electronic systems failed simultaneously, including: brake system (Brake System Failure warning displayed), parking brake sensor, traffic/charging system, power windows, and side... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn while driving. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 128,604.

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V528000 (Steering), 16V352000 (Air Bags), 15V313000 (Air Bags), and 05V462000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available while the vehicle was in for service. The local dealer was made aware of the issue, and an appointment was scheduled to repair the vehic... Read more

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

We purchased a new 2025 Coachmen Nova class B camper van on August 28th, 2025 from Olathe Ford RV Center in Kansas. On the drive home from the dealership, the van suffered a complete mechanical failure, shutting down while traveling 70 miles per hour at night on a busy highway. The engine, steering, brakes, lights and emergency blinkers failed, causing the vehicle to lose all control and stop sudd... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V514000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front suspension made abnormal knocking sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was advised that there was no earlier availability. The vehicle was taken to European Customs, where the front control arms were replaced with OEM parts. The vehicle was repaired. Th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

I was driving normal and almost lost control when electric power sterring rack and pinion went out. And after doing some research looks like this is a huge issue with all these trucks. Amd dodge refuses to recall the vehicle. Someone can die from this

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle with the telescoping steering wheel locked into position, the steering wheel erroneously moved from the locked position. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000... Read more

Incident date: Oct 6, 2025

The contact owned a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact’s husband stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel became inoperable and the vehicle unexpectedly veered to the left with no warning lights illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact’s husband collided with a car carrier vehicle. The contact’s husband suffered multiple injuries and was transported to a local ... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

Steering sensor failed as documented in Ford fixing the steering torque from a recall on B2778:EF. The steering would not turn and happened while driving near Airport Dr and Garrison in Carthage, Mo. There was traffic and could barely get the SUV to turn at all. Almost hit another car in a 35 mph zone when it happened. There was no warning or lights on dashboard at all. Loss of power steering ass... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. The contact while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced the death wobble. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The contact pulled over twice and drove 65 MPH on the way to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering damper and tie rod needed to be replaced. The steering damper and tie ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

The "Travel Assist currently not available" chimes every 30 seconds or so sometimes back to back constantly which is incredibly distracting and annoying. It causes me to lose focus of the road every time it pops up on the screen behind my steering wheel.

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

What component or system failed? Is it available for inspection? The component is the Steering Gearbox Assembly / Rack and Pinion. The vehicle is currently in my possession and available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving at highway speeds (40–70 mph), the steering wheel "sticks" or "catches" in the center position. To change lanes... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

Driving down the road and had Stabiltrak disable and power steering go out, causing great difficulty to maintain control of steering the vehicle. My teenage son’s first vehicle and he was driving with myself and younger son as passengers. This could have been a very horrible situation. Apparently this is a pretty widely discussed and common issue with this vehicle make (a quick google search ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2023

2022 Honda CRV with 12500 miles on the odometer has Rack and Pinion problems. Dealer indicates internal wear. There is a recall # 24V-744 which may apply. Dealer vehicle service was prepared on March 23, 2026

Incident date: Jan 10, 2026

Mazda did the "increase in steering effort" recall 03/18/2024. At 10,455 miles. Campaign 6524A. At that time, we had never experienced problems with the steering. But now, with 33, 627 miles, the steering has a sort of kickback feel when in a sustained turn; either direction. It's most noticeable on an interstate highway on or off ramp. Seems as if it's trying to center the steering wheel to stra... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V514000 (STEERING); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Th... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was pushed back into the parking space. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that the steering ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The vehicle is experiencing intermittent and severe steering stiffness, making it difficult to control and creating a safety hazard while driving. The issue occurs without warning and significantly impacts safe operation. This does not appear to be an isolated issue. Based on NHTSA data, there are hundreds of complaints and manufacturer communications related to steering system failures in this ve... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

I am writing regarding the diagnosis provided for my vehicle [XXX] . I was informed today that the engine failure is being attributed to a "water hose failure" rather than the engine defects covered under the active safety recall/settlement regarding Connecting Rod Bearing failure. As there were no coolant leaks before or after the vehicle was towed to your dealership. I am formally requesting a... Read more

Incident date: Jan 2, 2026

I am reporting a serious and unresolved safety defect involving a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer Series II 4x4 (VIN: [XXX] ) with approximately 34,000 miles. The vehicle has experienced repeated power steering warnings and functionality issues, and on multiple occasions (approximately three incidents) has unexpectedly shifted itself into park while actively driving. These incidents have occurred since Fall 2... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Mazda CX-90. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel was pulling to the left, causing the vehicle to merge into the left lane unintendedly. The contact firmly held the steering wheel to prevent the failure. Additionally, the vehicle jerked to the right lane while the lane keep steering assist function was activated because the steerin... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2007 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the joint bearing ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 10-15 MPH, the contact attempted to activate the cruise control mode system for the first time since purchasing the vehicle. The system failed to activate, and a message indicating that the cruise control was not activated was displayed. The contact attempted to activate the system a second time, and the vehicle ... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Oct 23, 2022

Steering is sticking at highway speeds. Have to jerk the steering wheel to correct. Is getting worse. Many are reporting this problem.

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became loose, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the front end made an abnormal humming sound. The vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist functionality. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; howe... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The truck has a clunk in the steering when pulling trailers and does not do this when not laden. The vehicle has only 2,480 miles on it. I was told at the dealership that this will not be fixed because they are not able to replicate the issue. There is a TSB on the issue: SSM 53169 2023-2024 F-Super Duty - Popping/Thumping/Clunking/Knocking Noise From The Steering Column - Built On Or Before ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

The lane keep assist never works properly, it vehicle doesn’t stay in lane, also gps has never worked properly, it’s been to the dealers several times and parts have been replaced with out any success

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

Incident Description: On multiple occasions in January and February 2026, while operating a 2024 Mazda CX-5 in reverse on low-friction surfaces (snow/ice) with a slight incline, the vehicle suffered a total systemic failure. System Failures: While reversing at low speeds, the engine spontaneously shut off without warning. This resulted in an immediate loss of power braking and power steering. Si... Read more

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

After driving the car for approximately 30 minutes without any problems and turning it off, it would not turn the ignition back on, release the parking brake or shift out of „P“. Several towing companies were unable to tow the vehicle due to the manufacturer’s failure to provide instructions on how to release the shifter in case of a problem. Other vehicles have a release button somewhere, ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

Steering wheel gets stuck, Jerky. Steering is jerky when traveling in a straight line, at different speeds. For example when traveling at 45 mph in a straight line, if you need to make a slight correction to stay in your lane the steering wheel seems to lock causing you to exert more force to turn it and then it releases causing you to over correct. I know other owners that have the same proble... Read more

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

Vehicle vibrates and rumbles at very low speeds and almost feels like the engine is giving out. I was told by my local VW dealership that the rack and pinion steering is failing and is the cause for this vibration. When attempting to have the problem resolved by their mechanics, I was told that it could take 30 days to get the part. After 60 days of waiting for the part, I cancelled the order and ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

My steering wheel feel "sticky" and "popping" when turning it. It does this sitting still and while driving around curves/turns and also driving straight. The steering used to be smooth in my 2022 CRV Honda and now everytime it does this weird sticky and popping move and sound. Please help me as this is a safety hazard concern . I bought my car "new" at South Pointe Honda dealership in Tulsa,... Read more

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

While driving on roads I would characterize as good, Our 2021 Jeep Wrangle has exhibited what is widely know as the "death wobble". 1st time was when vehicle has approximately 10,000 miles and it was noted as being severe, dangerous and very scary. 2nd and 3rd time time and with the same road conditions, it occurred. Mileage was 20,000 and 21,000. On March 13th, and with 23,702 miles, we serv... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

While driving a 2013 Ford Explorer, the vehicle experienced an electrical issue that caused the power steering system to malfunction. The power steering assist suddenly failed, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. The failure occurred suddenly and at the time of the incident the vehicle was traveling 2 miles and I parked it immediately.This created a serious safety hazard, especi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

Driving on the highway when the steering warning light came on and then I had a loss of complete steering on the highway. Somehow was able to get off the highway but not completely off the road. Back end of the vehicle was still in harms way I could not turn that wheel at all this is a complete safety issue and could have easily caused an accident and could have been deadly. There was no warnin... Read more

Incident date: Dec 11, 2025

Death wobble. Dealership that has it now (Campbell Chevorlet in Bowing green ky) knows and fails to fix or report it.

Incident date: Jul 25, 2025

When driving at highway speeds for periods of time generally exceeding one hour, it seems to become more difficult to turn the steering wheel. Also, when I am reversing at a very low speed to park or exit a parking space, I can hear a creaking noise coming from the steering wheel. A tapping is also felt through the steering wheel. The steering rack was replaced under warranty at ~8,000 miles but t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

When traveling at hwy speeds (about 55-60mph) on long straight stretches of road, the steering feels sticky when trying to slightly adjust the steering wheel to keep the car going straight in your lane. In other words, when you are traveling on a straight stretches of hwy and you need to make very minor adjustments with the steering wheel to keep the car moving straight ahead, the steering whee... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Catastrophic Axle Failure, I was driving out from my driveway when this happened. Just the day before my wife was driving on the highway, and I was driving with my two boys. I have video of the complete failure of the left driver's side axle. The vehicle was towed by the dealer and is at the dealer as we speak. There has been no inspection by the police or insurance representative. We had rep... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

Steering stiff. Steering wheel does not return to center on sweeping turns. Getting progressively more pronounced with time.

Incident date: Feb 3, 2016

The steering has recently become "sticky" requiring more pressure to make steering adjustments and worse on turns. It is not a one time occurrence but continues to be a problem daily. I have read that there have been recalls for this same issue in model years from 2022-2025 with some complaints from 2021 models.

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

Steering wheel clicking when rotating, LOUD whirring/humming noise directly under where the sliding console is located, noise reverberates all throughout the cab and is worse at 65mph

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

Loud clicking from both sides of the front CV joint. Dealer says there is nothing they can do but know of the problem. Says not to drive it as much.

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

Power steering went out all of a sudden

Incident date: Dec 1, 2025

Vehicle: 2013 Kia Optima SXL VIN: [XXX] While driving on a highway at approximately 55–58 mph, the rear driver-side electronic parking brake (EPB) motor housing failed with a loud bang. Immediately after, there was heavy smoke and a strong burning smell. The vehicle became very difficult to drive, and the wheel began screeching and dragging as if the brake had locked. The failure appears to ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

The 2024 Chevy Traverse has super cruise. It is basically an auto drive feature. It has sensors in the top part of the steering wheel. This plastic area is known for cracking and the dealership said there is nothing they can do. This is absurd. They know there is an issue with the wheels cracking and they are not fixing them under the warranty.

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

I got this car 2 months ago and it has 58k miles. The steering is “sticky” and keeps clicking and catching when making small adjustments or turning. It’s so annoying and is becoming dangerous as I’m having to force the wheel where it needs to go and it gets stuck. It’s terrible going around curves/ramps. I’m so upset, I can’t afford another car or to get this one fixed. I’m paying ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 19, 2026

Noise coming from the CV axles when the steering wheel is turned either left or right.

Incident date: Jan 15, 2026

Intermittent issue where info says brake failure/steering assist not working/limited speed to 43 mph. Very dangerous if you’re on the interstate. Becomes hard to steer, brakes don’t work, brakes start burning up. Have to carry tools with me to reset ecm. Very common problem with Silverado with 5.3 gas engine. Chevy needs to fix this issue before someone gets killed. I would give them my truck ... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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